FM Nicholas Croad of Wellington narrowly missed an International Master norm at the 2015 George Trundle New Zealand Masters tournament in Auckland earlier this month. The ten-player tournament was dominated by the top two seeds from Australia, GM Darryl Johansen and IM Stephen Solomon. Solomon finished first on 7½/9, half a point ahead of Johansen in second. Croad was chasing his third and final IM norm, having earned two competing in the UK before returning to New Zealand. Despite looking on target on 4½ after six rounds, Croad's final score of 6 points fell just short by half a point. But it was good enough for third prize and the George Trundle Trophy as the highest placed New Zealander. The Qualifiers tournament held alongside to determine a place in next year's Masters was won by Hans Gao of Auckland with 7/9.
Today's game from the second round features Croad with the black pieces against IM Paul Garbett of Auckland.
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Nge2 c6 6.Bd2!?
Black last was an unusual response to the Reshevsky variation of the Nimzo Indian, making the c7 square available in the event of 6.a3 Ba5 7.b4 Bc7. But after White's reply the bishop finds a home on d6. 6... d5 7.a3 Bd6 8.Ng3 Re8 9.Qc2 e5!
The absence of a white knight on f3 makes this early equalising counter-thrust possible. 10.dxe5 Bxe5 11.cxd5 cxd5 12.Bb5 d4?
Overambitious. There was nothing wrong with 12... Nc6 and a small plus to Black. 13.Nd1?
Vindicating Black's move. Calling the bluff by 13.Bxe8! dxc3 14.Bxf7+ Kxf7 15.Bxc3 Nc6 16.O-O appears to leave Black with insufficient compensation for the sacrificed material. 13... Bd7 14.Bxd7?!
Compounding the error by increasing Black's lead in development. Better was 14. Bc4. 14... Nbxd7 15.O-O Ng4!? 16.Qf5
Black has committed to an all-out kingside attack, though possibly better defensive chances lay in eliminating the d-pawn 16.exd4!? Qh4!? (16... Bxd4 is also good) 17.h3 Nxf2! 18.Nf5 (18.Nxf2 Bxg3) 18... Nxh3+ 19.gxh3 Bxd4+ with three pawns and an attack for the piece. 16...Qh4 17.h3 Ndf6!? 18.hxg4?!
As long as the pawn remains on h3 Black has no direct threats, so 18.exd4! Bxd4 19.Qf4 Be5 20.Qb4 and White can hold. With the h-file opened the king is exposed. 18...g6
The ending 18... Nxg4 19.Qh5 Bxg3 20.Qxh4 Bxh4 21.exd4 Rad8 picking up the d-pawn was promising. 19.Qf3 Nxg4 20.Re1 h5
The alternative 20... d3!? 21.Nf1 Nh2 22.Qh3 Qxh3 23.gxh3 Nf3+ 24.Kg2 Nxe1+ 25.Bxe1 leads to a roughly level ending. 21.e4?
White should have forced a draw by perpetual check 21.Nf1! Bh2+ 22.Kh1 Be5+ 23.Kg1 Bh2+ etc. 21... d3?!
The wrong move order. 21... Qh2+! 22.Kf1 d3 denies the f1 square to the knight and after 23.Bf4 Qh4! 24.Kg1 Nh2 transposes to the game. 22.Bf4?
The draw was still there after 22.Nf1! Bh2+ etc. 22... Nh2! 23.Qxd3 Bxf4
Regaining the sacrificed piece with a winning attack. 24.Nc3 Ng4 25.Nce2?!
Hastening the end, but after 25.Nd5 Rad8 26.Qf3 Qh2+ 27.Kf1 Bxg3 28.Qxg3 Rxd5! 29.Qxh2 Nxh2+ 30.Kg1 Rd2 31.Kxh2 Rxf2 Black has a winning endgame advantage. Now the bishop finds a lethal new diagonal. 25...Rad8 26.Qf3 Bc7! 27.Nc3 Bb6 28.Re2 Ne5!
Trapping the queen mid-board. White resigned.
Croad narrowly misses IM norm
Problem: Black to play and mate in 4.
FM Nicholas Croad of Wellington narrowly missed an International Master norm at the 2015 George Trundle New Zealand Masters tournament in Auckland earlier this month.
The ten-player tournament was dominated by the top two seeds from Australia, GM Darryl Johansen and IM Stephen Solomon. Solomon finished first on 7½/9, half a point ahead of Johansen in second. Croad was chasing his third and final IM norm, having earned two competing in the UK before returning to New Zealand. Despite looking on target on 4½ after six rounds, Croad's final score of 6 points fell just short by half a point. But it was good enough for third prize and the George Trundle Trophy as the highest placed New Zealander.
The Qualifiers tournament held alongside to determine a place in next year's Masters was won by Hans Gao of Auckland with 7/9.
Today's game from the second round features Croad with the black pieces against IM Paul Garbett of Auckland.
1.d4 Nf6
2.c4 e6
3.Nc3 Bb4
4.e3 O-O
5.Nge2 c6
6.Bd2!?
Black last was an unusual response to the Reshevsky variation of the Nimzo Indian, making the c7 square available in the event of 6.a3 Ba5 7.b4 Bc7. But after White's reply the bishop finds a home on d6.
6... d5
7.a3 Bd6
8.Ng3 Re8
9.Qc2 e5!
The absence of a white knight on f3 makes this early equalising counter-thrust possible.
10.dxe5 Bxe5
11.cxd5 cxd5
12.Bb5 d4?
Overambitious. There was nothing wrong with 12... Nc6 and a small plus to Black.
13.Nd1?
Vindicating Black's move. Calling the bluff by 13.Bxe8! dxc3 14.Bxf7+ Kxf7 15.Bxc3 Nc6 16.O-O appears to leave Black with insufficient compensation for the sacrificed material.
13... Bd7
14.Bxd7?!
Compounding the error by increasing Black's lead in development. Better was 14. Bc4.
14... Nbxd7
15.O-O Ng4!?
16.Qf5
Black has committed to an all-out kingside attack, though possibly better defensive chances lay in eliminating the d-pawn 16.exd4!? Qh4!? (16... Bxd4 is also good) 17.h3 Nxf2! 18.Nf5 (18.Nxf2 Bxg3) 18... Nxh3+ 19.gxh3 Bxd4+ with three pawns and an attack for the piece.
16... Qh4
17.h3 Ndf6!?
18.hxg4?!
As long as the pawn remains on h3 Black has no direct threats, so 18.exd4! Bxd4 19.Qf4 Be5 20.Qb4 and White can hold. With the h-file opened the king is exposed.
18... g6
The ending 18... Nxg4 19.Qh5 Bxg3 20.Qxh4 Bxh4 21.exd4 Rad8 picking up the d-pawn was promising.
19.Qf3 Nxg4
20.Re1 h5
The alternative 20... d3!? 21.Nf1 Nh2 22.Qh3 Qxh3 23.gxh3 Nf3+ 24.Kg2 Nxe1+ 25.Bxe1 leads to a roughly level ending.
21.e4?
White should have forced a draw by perpetual check 21.Nf1! Bh2+ 22.Kh1 Be5+ 23.Kg1 Bh2+ etc.
21... d3?!
The wrong move order. 21... Qh2+! 22.Kf1 d3 denies the f1 square to the knight and after 23.Bf4 Qh4! 24.Kg1 Nh2 transposes to the game.
22.Bf4?
The draw was still there after 22.Nf1! Bh2+ etc.
22... Nh2!
23.Qxd3 Bxf4
Regaining the sacrificed piece with a winning attack.
24.Nc3 Ng4
25.Nce2?!
Hastening the end, but after 25.Nd5 Rad8 26.Qf3 Qh2+ 27.Kf1 Bxg3 28.Qxg3 Rxd5! 29.Qxh2 Nxh2+ 30.Kg1 Rd2 31.Kxh2 Rxf2 Black has a winning endgame advantage. Now the bishop finds a lethal new diagonal.
25... Rad8
26.Qf3 Bc7!
27.Nc3 Bb6
28.Re2 Ne5!
Trapping the queen mid-board. White resigned.
0-1
Solution: 1... h4+! 2.Kh2 (2.Kxh4 Qh3+ 3.Kg5 Qg4+ 4.Kh6 Qh5#) 2... Qh3+ 3.Kg1 Qg3+ 4.Kf1 (4.Kh1 Be4#) 4... Bd3#